It is really nice to be spending time back home in northwest Oklahoma. I have been trying to get around to the different community events. There are so many great things to do in our area, it’s a race to keep up with them all. I would like to update you on some of the things going on in northwest Oklahoma and on the state level.

To many of you that travel around northwest Oklahoma, you might have noticed that the speed limit on Highway 412, between Highway 281 south of Waynoka and Woodward has been increased to 70 mph. This was done after a lengthy study of the road design and traffic patterns with safety concerns being foremost. I was able to testify before the commission in regards to the speed limit. Highway 412 is one of the major traffic thoroughfares in northern Oklahoma, extending from the tip of the panhandle to the Arkansas border at Siloam Springs. The goal years ago was to make 412 a four-lane highway all the way through northwest Oklahoma, but those plans were sidelined many years ago.

One of the areas of great concern on Highway 412 is the intersection with Highway 58. We recently had a fatality accident at this intersection. It has been proven to be a relatively dangerous location and a great concern. Especially since a new business is located just north of 412 causing many local residents to travel across Highway 412. This intersection is currently being studied to find a solution that will improve the safety of this intersection. I expect there will be some changes seen in this area in the near future.

Recently, Woodward hosted the first of Gov. Stitt’s cabinet tours of Oklahoma. The governor and many of his cabinet members shared their plans and goals for their respective agencies. It was a very positive meeting and gave a better insight into the governor’s plans for our state. After the meeting, the governor and staff took questions and then toured the area. It is always good to get state officials in our area to become more familiar with all that we have to offer.

Last week, Sen. James Inhofe also came to visit northwest Oklahoma. He gave a very informative talk giving an update on the national scene. He shared the Top 10 Trump accomplishments. Here are a few that he shared: We currently have the best economy since 2000. Over 1,500 regulations have been repealed helping to boost our economy. Currently, the U.S. is the global leader in oil and gas production with increased exportation of crude oil, natural gas and coal. He moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The U.S. is showing record employment with 157 million jobs. He was especially pleased with the last one he shared, since Sen. Inhofe is chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Since Trump has been president, we have the strongest military presence we have had in 15 years. He expressed concern that some other countries had exceeded us in military technology, especially in ultra-supersonic weaponry – weapons traveling five times the speed of sound. We are blessed to have Sen. Inhofe and Sen. Lankford representing our state in the nation’s capital.

I have been asked to serve on a healthcare task force to study what we need to do to better serve our citizen’s healthcare needs. There is a push to expand Medicaid on the ballot that would be a constitutional amendment. The task force’s job is to try to find a sensible solution that meets the needs of Oklahomans without unnecessary demands on the state’s economy.

As I said before, it is great to be back home. I am working on possible legislation for the upcoming session. If you have something that you would like addressed, please contact me at [email protected] or call me at 405-557-7339. May God continue to bless you and our great state.